On the De-Modernisation of the Church

A posse led by Lady Dawn and Annabel Williams-Smyth approached the Reverend Peter Cooper, the new incumbent of St Mary's, Deaven Hatherly, to ask if he would please jettison the handshake accompanying the passing of the peace.

Reverend Cooper agreed, believing the ladies shared his own concern that high(ish) church St Mary's was becoming happy-clappy.

Whereas actually, Lady Davies and co had always been anxious they might have to shake hands with a fisherman, or their daily woman, or that ghastly unfrocked monk from the bric-a-brac shop.

True story.

And it has a coda...

When Lady D, Annabel and other kapok-stuffed ladies of Deaven were rummaging through the boxes of Christmas cards in the library, I believe it was Annette Frint who commented how pleased she was that each box of cards was clearly labelled. 'Then one knows which specific charity one might be supporting, and can avoid those which are just that bit too overseas oriented. Well, it was their own lookout - certain undeveloped nations choosing to throw all our good help back in our faces by leaving the Empire...'

#church#religion#passingofthepeace#eucharist#churchofengland#religion#humour#snob#snobbery#class#classwar#workingclass#humor#humour#comedy#publicspeaker#talks

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